Backgrounder: Development of China´s manned space flights

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Source: CCTV.com | 09-24-2008 15:44

Based on the success of four previous tests, China's long-cherished dream of manned space flight turned into a reality on October 15th, 2003, with the launch of Shenzhou 5, and Shenzhou 6 two years later.

Shenzhou One was launched from the Jiuquan Launch Center on November 20th, 1999 and landed in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region the next day. It was the first rocket to be built and tested in a standing position and also the first to be transported and launched from a standing position.

Improving on its predecessor, several incremental technological improvements were made to Shenzhou 2. Bio-science and space material experiments were undertaken in the spaceship, in zero-gravity conditions.

Launch of Shenzhou 3

The launch of Shenzhou 3 proved the overall feasibility of China's manned flight program. A dummy astronaut was placed in the spaceship to provide important data on human reactions to living in space such as pulse rate, blood pressure, breathing and digestion.

Shenzhou 4 was China's last unmanned space flight experiment. The spacecraft was equipped with 52 facilities for scientific research.. and some experiments were conducted in space.